63-year-old mum of gangland figure found dead in her home

The 63-year-old mother of one of Ireland's most feared gangland criminals has been found dead in her home in Dublin's south inner city.

Mary Wilson, whose son Alan Wilson (36) was cleared last year of the murder of tragic Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas, was found dead in the property in the New Street Gardens estate.

Gardai are not treating her death as suspicious. It is understood she died of a heart attack and had been suffering from underlying health issues.

Mrs Wilson was arrested on three separate occasions by gardai investigating the murder of the 18-year-old and was also previously questioned about a disturbing plot to kill a senior detective and a journalist.

Her first arrest in relation to the Rostas case, for withholding information about the killing, happened in 2008.

She was arrested again in March 2012 when Marioara's body was found in the Dublin mountains. A month later, the grandmother was again arrested for allegedly threatening witnesses in the case after Alan Wilson was charged with murder by gardai.

When this arrest happened, gardai uncovered a plot to kill a solicitor.

"When she was arrested, she tried to flush a note down the toilet but this was retrieved by detectives," a senior source said last night.

"It was actually instructions and a map to kill a solicitor that was being blamed by these criminals for co-operating with gardai. Phone conversations she took part in were also investigated by gardai.

"However, the DPP decided that there should be no charges brought in relation to these threats and plots against either her or her accomplices.

It is not known whether Alan Wilson will be given permission by jail authorities to attend his mother's funeral, which is expected to take place early this week.

Gardai are expected to launch a special security operation to monitor him if permission is granted.

Despite being cleared of the January 2008 murder of Marioara, Wilson remains in jail where he is serving a seven-year sentence for trespass while committing assault.

In the violent incident, he attacked a man with a meat cleaver after breaking into his home in Blanchardstown in June 2009.

Gardai later found firearms residue on Wilson's clothing. His cousin David Crowley was also involved in the attack.

Crowley received an eight-year sentence after a trial which was blighted by witness intimidation.

Wilson has launched an appeal against his conviction and sentence for the 2009 attack.